Golden Hill Elementary Students Think ‘Outside of the Box’

The Golden Hill Elementary School, located at 478 Round Hill Rd. in Florida, NY, might be small, but it’s very big on innovation. Second grade students in Mr. Hoyt’s class, also known as “Team Hoyt,” created a very impressive cardboard replica of the Village of Florida.

The idea was inspired by a popular video called “Caine’s Arcade” in which a little boy named Caine spends his summer vacation building an elaborate mini cardboard arcade at his father’s used auto part store. After watching the short film, the children were inspired to begin their own project using cardboard.

Not only was the project a fun idea, but it incorporated the four C’s of 21st Century skills: critical thinker-solving problems; communicator-understanding and communicating ideas; collaborator-working with others; and creator-producing high quality work. In addition, it taught them to measure, be imaginative and think “outside of the box.” The class collaborated on ideas and the different possibilities of what to create.

“The idea of creating a town out of cardboard was thought up by the children,” said Hoyt, who suggested that the class recreate the Village of Florida. The children absolutely loved the idea and became very enthusiastic and motivated about the project.

“Team Hoyt” was placed into small groups and each group was assigned different buildings to work on.

“I assigned them each one or two buildings to start and told them, ‘I don’t know how long this is going to take, let’s just try it,’ and they just went with it,” said Hoyt.

Everyone contributed to finding the pieces of cardboard needed to create their assigned buildings. They discussed the buildings in Florida and what made them unique. For about three weeks they worked very hard researching, creating, and painting the large cardboard replica. Hoyt helped glue the buildings together with a hot glue gun. Mr. Camia helped the class by offering ideas, lending supplies, and helping put the project together. Mrs. VanHorn also helped the class glue, paint, and cut materials each day. Not a single detail was left out of the impressive cardboard display.

The children created streets, traffic lights, and trees. The Dunkin Donuts building included a drive through and window. The adorable and imaginative replica is currently on display in the front lobby of the Golden Hill Elementary School.

School Principal Deborah Lisack is extremely proud of the children’s work and the magnitude of the project. She commended the children for their effort.

“Talk about creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking skills! They all did a very nice job,” said Lisack.

For more information on “Caine’s Arcade,” the story that inspired the students visit www.cainesarcade.com.

A replica of the Village of Florida was created out of cardboard by Mr. Hoyt’s second grade class at Golden Hill Elementary School in Florida. Photo credit: Warwick Valley Dispatch/Lourice Angie

Children worked very hard on the details of the project, including traffic lights, streets, trees & building accessories. Photo credit: Warwick Valley Dispatch/Lourice Angie

Each building that is unique to the Village of Florida was carefully researched & recreated by ‘Team Hoyt’ at the Golden Hill Elementary School in Florida. Photo credit: Warwick Valley Dispatch/Lourice Angie

An adorable cardboard replica of the Village of Florida is on display at Golden Hill Elementary School in Florida. Photo credit: Warwick Valley Dispatch/Lourice Angie

Second graders from Mr. Hoyt’s class known as ‘Team Hoyt,’ included their school, Golden Hill Elementary School, in the amazing cardboard replica of the Village of Florida. Photo credit: Warwick Valley Dispatch/Lourice Angie

All of the buildings chosen by Mr. Hoyt’s second grade class were researched & carefully designed to replicate the actual structure in the Village of Florida. Photo credit: Warwick Valley Dispatch/Lourice Angie

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The Warwick Valley Dispatch, a weekly newspaper, was founded in 1885 by George F. Ketchum and has been in the same family for its entire 130 years of providing local news to Town of Warwick residents. The newspaper is printed on a 1930s web press in the Dispatch building, located at 2 Oakland Avenue in Warwick, NY.